Death Does Bring
by GaaraForever
Summary: When Naruto and his team are sent out on a mission to Suna, and Sai's killed right before they leave, their escortee turns out to be this murderer on her way to Koujingakurethe village that's disappeared.


**Death Does Bring-INTRO-BLOOD AND ASHES**

Another intense chill ran down Sasuke's spine.

'Where am I? What am I doing out here, in the middle of the night?' he thought. He was in a different village-one that was pretty much deserted. There were houses, with chairs pulled out, and bowls in front of them as if someone were about to sit down and eat. There were doors ajar, for someone to walk in or out. And there was the sickly feeling of no sound, no life, and most oddly-no wind. No wind at all. And the air had a stench he could never forget-the stench Sasuke had encountered many times in his life-the odor that was left after a downpour. . .of blood.

As lifeless as everything was, the night's shade and dark buildings made things more unpleasant. There were no signs of plant life, no signs of the village even having people presently living here. But Sasuke had a feeling there were people right here, hiding.

Sasuke took a step off the sand-covered walkway where he stood-and sunk down into the fine sand. And as he was shoeless, he felt the freezing cold earth underneath him. Taken by surprise, Sasuke went down.

The smell of blood changed to smoke.

'This isn't sand,' Sasuke thought, 'it's . . .ashes . . .'

"Yo! Loser! There you are!"

Sasuke leapt up to see yellow hair bouncing around. He glanced downward, "N-Naruto?"

"SASUKE!" a voice squealed, and Sasuke found himself in an embrace with his old teammate, Sakura.

"DUDE! We've been looking for you for AGES! Where've you been?" Naruto asked.

"Whatever, Naruto, save your questions for later." Sakura released Sasuke. "We have to get him back home."

"What are you guys doing here?" Sasuke asked. "You can't be here! Didn't I tell you guys not to follow me?"

"Sasuke, we have to bring you back. You can't stay in the Sound Village. You're coming home with us!" Sakura eagerly explained.

Sasuke almost wanted to agree with them. He actually wanted to go back home, away from Orochimaru's harsh training . . .

"AAGH!" Sasuke fell down as a shot of pain went through him. And Naruto and Sakura disappeared.

"You're not thinking of going back, are you?" Orochimaru's cold voice sounded throughout his head. "Konoha is weak, how will you ever find power there? Look at how much stronger you've become since you've come to me! You're so much closer to your goal...and I to mine! Heh-heh heh...!"

Another blast of pain, and Sasuke woke up dripping with sweat, with his Lord Orochimaru's smirking face staring right at his.

**Death Does Bring-CHAPTER 1-SAKURA'S PAIN**

"I really do love it when you're so fat...!" Naruto hugged his frog-wallet while walking home with Sakura and Sai.

"Yeah...so, I'm gonna go. . ." Sai said, walking away.

"That jerk-I still can't believe he's Sasuke's replacement. It's not fair! It's like pushing Sasuke away..." Sakura complained,

"You're so cute-so cute-fat, fat, fat, fat-"

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled.

"So cute-oh! What? Uh-yeah, Sai's _totally_ uglier than Sasuke. . .Sasuke looks a lot better than Sai." Naruto answered, not paying attention.

After a day of chore-like missions, Naruto and his team were exhausted.

"Well, see 'ya Naruto!" Sakura called, and left Naruto and started off towards her home.

Naruto walked home, and collapsed on his bed.

'For the past week, all I've been thinking about-has been Sasuke. . .I think I've been hanging around Sakura too much. . .' Naruto thought, 'Sakura's been worried sick-and Sakura and I have really done pretty badly on our last missions. . .Oh, I hope that show-off's okay. . .' And with that, Naruto dozed off.

Naruto woke up to screaming coming from outside his house. He groaned, and got up to open the door.

"Konohamaru! Let me go!" A familiar voice yelled.

Naruto stepped outside.

"HA! You fell for our trap! You stepped outside, right where we can defeat you!" Konohamaru yelled. "And now, to prove how strong you are, you have to free this woman!" And in front of Konohamaru, sat Sakura with her hands tied behind her back.

"Uh. . .Konohamaru-" Naruto tried his best to keep up.

"Okay. . ." Naruto untied Sakura's hands.

"Ha! So you got through that! But that as only a distraction!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Huh?" Naruto was clueless. "Ack! What's this?" Rice balls were hitting Naruto from all directions. And since they were hitting Naruto, obviously, they were pummeled at Sakura too.

"Ack! There's no jutsu to get rid of these! There's only one way to-OW!-one way to get rid of them-CHOJI!" Naruto panicked.

"Ugh. . ." Naruto complained, walking with Sakura and Choji down to the Academy to meet with their senseis.

"We could have dodged them. . ." Sakura said.

"Mmm. . ." Choji was eating again. "Next time you need help with this stuff, make sure to call me!"

"Eew. . .this is going to take forever to get out of my hair!" Sakura complained as well. "It's all sticky-eww!"

"Uh-thanks Choji. We go this way. See ya." Naruto said.

Choji walked off, munching on his bag of chips.

"Hey-hey, Naruto! Sakura!" Sai yelled, running up to them.

"Oh-er-hi." Sakura said stiffly.

"So-where's Kakashi. . .uh. . .'sensei'?" Sai asked.

"He's always late. Get used to it. " Naruto said glumly.

Team 7 waited for an hour until Kakashi-sensei appeared.

"OK guys. . .you've got a new mission." He explained.

"ANOTHER MISSION!? OH BOY!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing punches.

"Naruto, Sakura, you remember-uh-''escorting' Mr. Tazuna to the Land of Waves?" Kakashi asked.

"Who could forget..." Sakura murmured.

"Well, this mission is pretty much the same-except it will be escorting only! I promise, no enemy ninja will be attacking us this time." Kakashi assured.

"That's what you said last time. . ." Naruto said, "But if they _do_ attack again, I won't wimp out like last time! If they come at me like this, I'll punch them there! If they try to attack me from behind, I'll backwards-kick him! Yeah, this is gonna be awesome!" Naruto threw more punches.

Unlike Naruto, Sakura wasn't having a great time thinking about the mission.

'Sasuke. . .why did you have to leave? When will you come back? Sasuke. . .I don't think I can do any of this anymore. . .if you're. . .not here. . .' Sakura couldn't concentrate on any of her training, she was so depressed.

". . .at 8:00, make sure you're here and ready to leave. Ok, we'll call it a day. See you guys tomorrow! And Naruto, Sakura-uh. . .I hope that stuff washes off." And Kakashi left.

"W-what? I'm sorry-what did he say?" Sakura asked.

"Weren't you listening? We're going to Suna! So be here tomorrow!" Sai explained.

"Oh-sorry. I guess I wasn't paying attention. Wait-we're going to Suna. . ._again_?"

"Yeah. . .They didn't have any other missions except for that. . .I guess I'm so good, all the bad guys just gave up in fear of meeting me!" Naruto boasted, and threw some more punches.

"In your dreams, Naruto. Konohamaru's not even afraid of you." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Well. . .I'm gonna go. . ." Sai trailed off.

"He always says that." Naruto muttered.

They watched Sai walk off.

"Hey Saku-"

"Do you really miss Sasuke, Naruto?" Sakura interrupted.

"W-what? Of course, I mean, he's our teammate!" Naruto answered.

"No, I mean, really Naruto. Not just because he's your teammate. Yeah, you're always telling me he'll come back-but I seriously doubt it, Naruto. Do you really want him to come back? Really, from your heart?" Sakura asked again.

"Sakura, you know I want him back, but-"

"NO! Naruto, you always say that. There's always a 'but'. Why can't I just get a straight answer?!"

"Sakura. Yes. I want him back. All I've been able to think about was that miserable jerk-uh, sorry. Some old memories came up a few days ago. . .I still haven't recovered. Anyway, he's my-friend. My _best_ friend. _And_ my teammate. Of course I miss him. Sakura, take my word for it!"

"But do you _really_ mean it? If Sasuke came back right now, or if you brought him back, would you regret it?"

"Sakura! Haven't you been listening? Anyway, Sakura, why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

Sakura though that last line over, and fell silent.

'_I_ don't even know the answer to that question. . .' Sakura thought, trying to clear her mind.

"You're right, Naruto. . .I've been obsessing over Sasuke." Sakura admitted. "I need to focus on what's happening now instead of worrying about him all the time. I-I'm sorry for asking all those stupid questions."

They started walking to their houses.

"Look, Sakura. It's not you're fault. He shouldn't have left. He was just thinking about himself."

Sakura lost control, "Naruto, have you wondered why he DID leave? Maybe he left because of you! You're the one who's been putting him down! No wonder everyone hates you!" she yelled. Everything was quiet, and Naruto stared.

"N-Naruto-I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I-I really don't know what made me say that. Naruto. . ."Sakura apologized.

Naruto hung his head and started walking away.

"Naruto, you know I didn't mean that!"

"They why'd you say it?"

"Naruto, I was being an idiot! I didn't mean it. . .everyone likes you. . ."

He just kept walking, staring at the ground (Which was very un-ninja-like, seeing as his guard was down and anyone could've attacked him at that point.).

"Naruto! Please! I'm sorry, I really am! I'm begging you-don't be mad at me!"

"Sakura. . .when you said 'everyone hates me'. . .did that include you, too?"

"Naruto! I didn't mean it! I don't hate you, and no one else does either! How many times do I have to say it? Do you not understand me?"

"Oh, so no I'm stupid?"

"No, Naruto. . ."Sakura said, realizing she made matters worse, "I didn't mean that. Look, I'm sorry. . .can we just pretend this never happened?"

"So, is this what you and Sasuke talked about all the time?" Naruto asked, "Talking about me and my STUPIDITY?!?!"

They turned the corner past Sakura's house to Naruto's.

"Naruto, I-"

"Since everyone hates me, I'm going to leave. Why don't you go join up with some of your friends and talk about how stupid I am?" Naruto opened his door, went inside, and slammed it shut.

"Naruto. . ." Sakura whispered, stunned by Naruto's words.


End file.
